Wash pipe



L. C. TILBURY wAsH PIPE March 20, 1934.

Filed June 3. 1932 M w [L u Patented Mar. 20, 1934 WASH PIPE Lyle C.Tilbury, Houston, Tex.

Application June 3, 1932, Serial No. 615,163

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a wash pipe and has particular relation to anovel type of wash pipe to be used in the process of washing a wellscreen preparatory to bringing in a well.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel type ofwash pipe,whereby a washing uid may be conducted down through a well screen andout at the lower end of the screen and up through the bore outside ofthe screen whereby the screen may be thoroughly washed and cleansed,said Wash pipe being equipped with inlet valve means whereby the oil orother fluid produced from the well may be permitted to flow into thewash pipe, and thence up to the surface without the necessity of liftingthe wash pipe off of its seat at thelower end of the screen.

In the production of oil, a casing is usually set in the well above theproducing strata and a screen is set in the well beneath the casingopposite said strata and the screen is then washed to thoroughly cleanseit of all clogging material. For the purpose of washing the screen awash pipe is usually let down through the screen and its lower end isseated in a wash pipe seat at the lower end of the screen and throughthis wash pipe the washing uid is conducted down through the screen andpasses out at the lower end of the screen and thence up about the outerside of the screen to wash the same. A packer is then set between theupper end of the screen and the lower end of the casing to form a uidtight joint. When the well and screen are thoroughly washed it oftenhappens that the well is ready to come in, that is, that the well isready to start flowing from the producing strata and in such case inorder to permit the oil to flow out it is necessary to elevate the washpipe off of its seat so that the oil can enter the wash pipe and flow onout of the well, if the ordinary wash pipe is used.

It is the prime object of this invention to provide a novel type of washpipe which need not be lifted off of its seat in case the well starts toiiow, and which is equipped with inlet valve means which will preventthe escape of the washing uid but which will permit the oil to flowinwardly through the screen and into the wash pipe without the necessityof elevating the wash pipe o of its seat.

,b specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

(Cl. 16S- 20) Figures 1, 2 and 3, show elevational views partly insection of the upper,'intermediate and lower sections, respectively ofthe wash pipe, shown in assembled relation with the packer and settingtool, and screen as set in a well bore, and

Figure 4 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.y

Referring now more vparticularly to the drawing wherein like numerals ofreference designate similar parts in each of the Afigures, the numeral 1designates a casing as set in a well bore and beneath this casing isalwell screen 2 of any selected design. Attached to the lower end of thescreen there is the set shoe 3 having the outlet opening 4 at its lowerend and provided with the conventional vdownwardlyopening back pressurevalve 5 and the tubular seal valve 6 whose upper end has the wash pipeseat '7.

Attached to the upper end of the screen there is a tubular packersupport 8 around which there is an expansible packer 9 whose lower endis secured tosaid support and whose upper end is secured to the tubularsetting nipple 10. Any selected type of packer and setting tool may beemployed, such as are now in common use. Various types of packers andpacker setting tools are commonly employed for forming a fluid tightseal between the upper end of the screen and the lower end of the casingand these various types are well known to those familiar with the art ofcompleting oil wells and producing oil and for that reason a specificdescription of these parts will not be given as they form no part of 9the present invention. As a well is drilled the casing 1 is set usually,above the oil bearing strata and the well is drilled on down beneath thecasing into the producing strata. The screen 2 is set beneath the casingopposite the oil bearing strata. In order to set the screen it isattached to the lower end of a tubular string of pipe as ll with thepacker and setting tool incorporated into the setting string above thescreen. The screen is then let down into the well until it rests on thebottom of the bore. When the screen, packer and setting tool areassembled with the setting string l1 a wash pipe 12 is assembled fintherewith and is let down with the screen. The

rial and in order to accomplish this a clean washi ing fluid is forceddown through the setting string 11 and passes on down through the washpipe 12 and through the seal valve 6 past the back pressure Valve andout through the opening 4 and thence back up around the screen 2 to washthe same, and when the screen is washed the packer 9 is then expanded,or set, in the casing and the well is then ready to be brought in. Itoften happens that when the well is washedthe oil immediately startsowing, Abut with thepresentetypeof wash Vpipe now acommonly used, theoil entering through the screen is blocked by said Wash pipe untilthe-washpipe is elevated so as to carry its lower end up outpf the seat'7 and the oil can then flow into the wash pipe and on up through thestring 11 toe-the ground surface.

The improved type of wash pipe herein described is provided with one-.ormore inlet-,Openings 13 and these openings are normally closed by theinwardly opening valves 14.l

, ,As shown `the 4`openings 13. are elongatedlongitudinajllyanjd thevalves 114. are exible and;have Ltheirlower endsanchored tothe wash pipeand fthe'upper ends free. 'These ,valves are secured gtlhe inner side ofthe wash pipe so as to open inwardly.

y the washing fluid is forced downwardly `through the wash pipe to .washthe screen the valves 1,4 will Abe heljd tightly closed 4to `preventtheescapeof ,the washing iiuid through the openings '13 but after thescreen has been ,washed L andthe,packer set .the oilgproduced'bythe well',may flow inwardly through the screen and through the openings 13 intothe washpipeand 'thence on u p out of rthe well.

`Any number of openings 13 and valves `11i may 'be employed andmay'bespaced along the wash broad principle of the invention will be defined.bythe appended claims.

"What I claim is: lpThe combination with a well screen having a washpipeseat, a Wash pipe in the screen whose lower endis received by said seat,said wash pipe :havingianrinlet l.opening above said seat and aninwardly opening valve controlling said opening.

vv-2. lThe combination with a well screen having a wash pipe seatvadjacent l.thelowerend thereof, of a .washispipe in the screenwhoseflowerendis ,supportedby said seat,rsaid wa'shrpipehavinga:plurality .of inlets through' the vwall 'thereof ,and ,inwardlyopeningvalves controlling saidfinlet.

y 3. 4In apparatusforproducingfluidroma.well

l,and lembodying a screen 'havingaseatadjacent `the lower end thereofand means 'for'form'inga Vseal between 'the upper 'end of the screen andthe walls of the well; a washpipe extending from vabove the seal downthrough the vscreen and .whose'lower `end rests on said seat, said wash.pipe

having aninlet opening through the wall ythereof Aand a :valvecontrolling `said openingand perimitting the ow Vof fluid i inwardly,ionly, through said opening.

LYLE C. `T1LBIIRY.

